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An interview with Norman Finkelstein

By John Passant and Emanuel Stoakes - posted Thursday, 14 April 2011


If mass demonstrations break out, Israel might be forced to withdraw to the June 1967 border. Certainly, Israel will have trouble firing on nonviolent demonstrators without looking like Qaddafi.

ES: The present triumphant scenes in Cairo have got a lot of people in Israel worried about The Muslim Brotherhood gaining ascendancy in Egypt. A friend in Israel, a Zionist, told me that the current leadership in Egypt have begun to cut off gas supplies to Israel, an apparent act of "aggression". Do you think the Muslim Brotherhood are a force for the good in supporting Palestinians, or are they counter-productive in that they will destabilize the region (to borrow
a much-abused term)?

NF: I do not believe that Israel fears the Muslim Brotherhood because it is Muslim. It is just as fearful of a secularist such as el-Baradei coming to power. Israel dreads the prospect that a new government will respect the will of the people and will be committed to preserving the dignity of Egypt. This has always been Israel's biggest fear. Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion frequently said that the biggest disaster for Israel would be if an Arab Ataturk came to power and restored the spirits of the people.

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ES: You famously said that in Lebanon "Hezbollah are the hope" (in terms of standing up to American political influences and Israeli aggression). This elicited much condemnation from the usual quarters. Can you expand on this statement- in what way do you think Hezbollah offer "hope" and to whom?

NF: Hezbollah demands that the ordinary principles of international law be applied to Israel as well. Israel must stop treating neighboring countries as long- or short-term parking lots. It must stop indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

This is Hezbollah's message and I agree with it. When Ehud Barak recently threatened, "Maybe we'll have to occupy Lebanon again," Sayyed Nasrallah said the next day, "Maybe we"ll have to occupy the northern Galilee." What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

ES: You must know that you are more or less hated by the Israeli Likud/right-wing establishment and their supporters, and indeed have been accused, inevitably, of being an enemy of Israel and an 'enabler of terrorism'. This is probably water off a duck's back to you. Nonetheless, what is your response?

NF: Judging by opinion polls, Israel has bigger problems than me. It is among the most hated countries on the planet. It should stop acting like a lunatic state. Once it carries on like a normal country, I will be happily redirect my energies elsewhere.

ES: Do you unequivocally condemn Palestinian attacks against innocent civilians?

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NF: It is impossible to justify terrorism, which is the targeting of civilians to achieve a political goal. But it's also difficult to make categorical statements of the kind you suggest. I do believe that Hezbollah has the right to target Israeli civilians if Israel persists in targeting civilians until Israel ceases its terrorist acts.

ES: Martin Indyk once called you a spokesman for Hamas. As a group Hamas have been accused of committing war crimes, torturing Palestinians, and, of course, have fired missiles at Israeli citizens, threatening innocent children in Southern Israel. Their charter openly appears to reject ideas of peace with Israel, to encourage violence against Jews, and so on. Do you support Hamas, and it is it really a morally legitimate thing to do?

NF: Hamas has made many statements expressing a willingness to settle the conflict on the June 1967 border. As the British Economist recently wrote, it's easy enough to test whether they are serious: just call their bluff. Israel does not want to test their intentions because it knows that they are sincere and Israel does not want to withdraw to the 1967 border.

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This interview first appeared in En Passant with John Passant



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About the Authors

John Passant is a Canberra writer (www.enpassant.com.au) and member of Socialist Alternative.

Emanuel Stoakes writing has concentrated on issues to do with the middle east.

Other articles by these Authors

All articles by John Passant
All articles by Emanuel Stoakes
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Norman Finkelstein

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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